Loretta (Howrigan) Magnan
FAIRFIELD: Loretta (Howrigan) Magnan ascended into heaven on Friday, June 18, 2021, surrounded by her loving family at her home in Fairfield, Vermont. Loretta was born in Fletcher in 1929, the daughter of Margaret (McCarthy) and William E. Howrigan. Loretta served as a lifelong member of St. Patrick’s Parish, and was proud of her Irish-Catholic heritage and faith. She graduated from St. Mary’s High School and the University of Vermont, majoring in Education. She went on to teach at Bellows Free Academy, Fairfax, and in Essex.
Loretta was devoted to her family, flag and country. She married Henry J. Magnan of Fairfield, August 15, 1959 at St. Patrick’s Church. For Loretta, motherhood was her life-long gift, and will always be her legacy. Everyone knew Loretta for her gentle grace, her smile, and for being immaculately dressed. She was an outstanding contributor to the greater community, and a proud Lady of St. Patrick’s, including her love for the annual Christmas Bazaar. Her lifelong passion for education included over a decade of classroom teaching, and countless lessons of the English language and grammar for her 11 children and 20 grandchildren.
Loretta is survived by her husband of 61 years, Henry; daughter Gabrielle Tiffany and her husband Michael, their children Emmett, John and his wife Cassie, and their daughters Elizabeth, Michelle, Hannah, and Margaret; Joseph and his children Shannon, Thomas, and Maria; Martin and his wife Susan and their daughters Elizabeth and Sarah; Sarah Bentley and her husband Thomas and their sons Fletcher, Sawyer, and Joseph; Peter and his wife Molly and their children Jacqueline, Colin, and Ryley; Mark and his wife Judy and their sons William and Colby; Brendan and his husband Ryan Quintero; Matthew and his wife Elaine and their sons Isaiah and Ezra; and Andrea. She is also survived by her sister Teresa Manahan, and her husband John; sister-in-law F. Virginia (Mawn) Howrigan; and scores of devoted nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Loretta is predeceased by her children, Francis who died at the age of 18 and Jeremiah Edward who died in infancy; and her son Joseph’s wife Karen; her siblings, W. Bernard who died in infancy; D. Francis, and his wife Neva (LaRocque); W. Robert; Dr. Thomas G.; Sgt. Raymond J. Howrigan, U.S.M.C, who was killed in action on Iwo Jima; Harold and his wife Anne (Rowley); Mary Connor and her husband Bernard; Rose O’Connell and her husband Emmett; Kathleen Connor, and her husband Frederick. She was also predeceased by her in-laws Leonidas and Anna Magnan; brothers-in-law Napoleon; Joseph; Euclid and his wife Florence; Leonidas and his wife Loretta; and sisters-in-law Gabrielle; Laurentia; Rose; Laurentia (Lou); Gertrude Sweeney and her husband Leo; Monica Lemnah and her husband Walter.
The family would like to give a special thanks to the staff of Franklin County Home Health for their care and guidance, and to Loretta’s daughter Gabrielle for being her primary caretaker over the last ten years, allowing Loretta to stay at home with those she loved.
There will be no public calling hours.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 11 a.m. in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Church Road in Fairfield, with interment to follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery. Henry and his family will host an outdoor reception on Emch Drive following the service.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish to make a memorial contribution are asked to consider a donation made payable to Fairfield Scholarship Fund, c/o Joy Kane, 3254 Lapland Road, East Fairfield, VT 05448 or Northwestern Counseling and Support Services, Attn: Community Relations Department, 107 Fisher Pond Road, St. Albans, VT 05478.
Honored to be serving the Magnan family is the Heald Funeral Home, where messages of condolence are welcome at www.healdfuneralhome.com.
